John passed away peacefully on November 24, 2005, at his home in Qualicum Beach.
He is survived and lovingly remembered by his wife Betty of 34 years. John will be sadly missed by his 4 daughters, Verna(Ray) of Port Alberni, Sandra(Caroline) of Salt Spring Island, Debra (Don) of Victoria and Lenora (John) of Surrey. They will miss his sense of humor, kindness and fatherly advice. He took delight in and was proud of his 7 grandchildren, Brent, Dale, Lara, Mike, Jody, Darrell and Daniel, as well as his 5 great grandchildren, Claudia, Ursula, Aldous, Kaitlyn and Jessica.
John is predeceased by his first wife Norma, his brothers George of Nanaimo, Tom of Port Alberni and sisters Nellie Robertson of Vancouver and Lou Tombs of Port Alberni.
He is survived by sisters Edith Anderson of Nanaimo and Susan Watson (George) of Port Alberni. John will be missed and remembered by many nieces and nephews, co-workers and friends.
Born December 30, 1916 in Headquarters on the Alberni Canal he was raised and schooled in Port Alberni. He joined the Royal Canadian Navy in 1939 holding the rank of Chief Petty Officer while serving as Electrical Refrigeration Engineer.
Following his retirement from the services in 1945 he enjoyed a long and rewarding career at the Vancouver General Hospital. He and Betty retired to Qualicum Beach from Port Coquitlam and began enjoying their first winters in Kehei, Maui, before moving on to Lake Tamerisk in Desert Centre, California, for successive winter sojourns.
John was an avid and competitive golfer. He had a keen interest in aircraft, photography, gardening, fishing and in particular enjoyed astronomy where he had the opportunity to teach children’s groups. He loved the outdoors, taking in nature during long walks while rarely missing a sunset. Family memories of the cabin on the beach at Qualicum have been enriched by his presence and times spent together. Holding an Amateur Radio license for many years, he was an active member of the HAM radio organization as well as a member of the Masonic Lodge.
The family would like to thank Dr. John Atherston and all the caregivers for their kindness and devotion. A very special appreciation is extended to caregivers Millie, Reinette and Marilyn.
"Soar now, like an eagle and be free Dad - as you like to be!
We love you and will miss you deeply."
There will be no service by request.
Yates Funeral Service (1-877-264-3848) in care of arrangements.